Part of the reason Economic Development Committee members delayed their decision on approving a lease template for the proposed Arawana Golf Course was a lack of documents.
The proposed lease was lost in the mail, and so all but one committee member had not been able to review the proposed lease.
City planner Bill Warner explained that the lease was based on a lease developed for the failed Pin Oak Golf Course that had been planned for acreage off of Newfield Street several years ago.
In the 80 year lease, Warner explained that the golf course would pay property taxes on buildings and equipment, but would not pay land taxes. That lowered the potential tax burden from approximately $60,000 annually to $10,000. The lease agreement also suggests that the golf course would lease land from the city on a schedule which calls for $1 rent for the first five years, 2.5 % of gross income for years 6-10, 5% for years 11-20, 6% for years 20-60 and 7% for the final 20 years.
Newest Economic Development Committee member, Councilman Vinnie Loffredo wanted more information before he cast his vote. He demanded competitive analysis of the proposed lease with leases at other courses in nearby towns, and also wanted to see a written report on economic development value to the city.
"I find that's missing in terms of our due diligence," Loffredo said. "I'm concerned about the longterm use of this land."
In other matters, the EDC negotiated new lease terms for First and Last Restaurant on Main Street which calls for an annual 1.5% increase annually for the next 10 years to be followed by two five year options.
The committee also voted to expend $3500 for a contract to hire a company called Historic Perspectives to perform archaeological and historical analysis of the Remington Rand building before Middletown accepts $200,000 from the state to remove and mitigate 6 underground storage tanks. The state required the archaeological and historical analysis. The city received five responses to a request for bid, ranging from the low bid at $3500 and up to a high bid of $17,000.
Warner also suggested that the city ask the state to re-assess two abandoned and dilapidated houses formerly owned by the Department of Children and Families on Wadsworth Street before the city makes a bid to buy the houses. The state will now deduct the cost of demolition from the purchase price of the houses, and Warner argued that the value of the houses has likely decreased dramatically from the last assessment.
10 comments:
Bravo, Vinnie Loffredo! It's good that you are on the EDC now. We need a lot more anaysis of the golf course proposal before approving it.
Hurray for Vin Loffredo! Thank you for questioning the need for this new golf course. I dont want to see that property tied up with pesticides, fertilizers and no taxes for 80 years, either.
Two questions that need to be asked about ANY golf course being proposed these days:
1) Why did a pretty smart developer pull out of building a golf course off Mile Lane a few years ago?
2) Why did the Pistol Creek Golf Course off Middle Street go out of business?
I don't know the answers for certain, but I suspect we are over-supplied with golf courses in this region: 36 holes at Lyman's, 18 at Indian Springs, 9 at Miner Street, 18 at TPC, 36 in Portland -- seems like a lot to me.
What a waste to tear up a perfectly good habitat and make an artificial construct that will require ridiculous quantities of fertilizer and pesticide. Does the CT River really need more run-off of excess nitrogen?
Will a full cost benefits analysis be conducted? What are the advantages, what are the disadvantages, from both an environmental, and economic perspective? Who is the "expert" that will honestly report all of the potential downsides? Obviously the "experts" (the golf course developers) will predict, a green, or is that pot of gold at the end of the fairway. What a golden goose for the developer. The lease arrangement sounds like a benefit only to the developer, with very little for the city to gain. It sounds like corporate welfare.
There is also little creativity in the on-line RFP. This is city land folks, yet the developer in conjunction with the advice of the planner did not think to offer more of value to all the residents of Middletown, through 1)green fees price reduction for residents, 2)support for a high school team (if the board of ed was interested) with no or limited fees attached, 3)consideration of a partnership with the city's, park and rec dept. for winter time use of the property, perhaps as a groomed cross-country ski facility when enough snow is on the ground, or provisions for a nice place for an early morning or summer evening run before the golf course opens/closes for the day. These are just a few ideas, that might be considered, can we brainstorm and come up with others, if the course is going to happen as it looks like it will. Can we see to it that average resident/city taxpayer gets something in return for the green space giveaway in Maromas
Let's try to answer Janes questions. The Mile Lane plan was scuttled because some environmentalist found some standing water and declared it an environmental disaster to disturb it. Funny it managed to dry up by itself.
If I remember correctly, Pistol Creek depended on the sale of houses.
If Jane actually played golf, which apparently she doesn't,she would know that Indian Springs is only 9 holes, Miner Brook is more of a practice facility, and few can afford the fees at the TPC.
The property on Kaplan Drive off Mile Lane would make a great City owned athletic sports complex.
Over the years(very recently too), I have asked about this property for just this use. It would centralize the City's entire sports field system, which is currently scattered all over town, on many properties we don't have ownership or authority over.
The Mile Lane property is vast enough to house all little league, softball, soccer, intermediate baseball, and football fields, along with other sports we currently cannot support due to lack of space. Walking trails, a track, skateboarding, cross country skiing, nature areas, and so on, could be housed under one roof.
Current properties under the Parks & Recreations ownership such as: Palmer Field, Smith Park, Veterans Memorial Park/Pool, and McCutcheon Park/Crystal Lake, would continue to be utilized. Pat Kidney and McCarty Park (aka City School Field) property could be changed from sports sites, to passive recreation and family oriented actities.
John Milardo, Parks Supt.
In reference to John Milardo's and Gordon's comments on Mile Lane, I was under the impression that this property ultimately was approved for a golf course, but the would-be developer chose not to proceed. And Gordon is correct -- i don't play golf.
If the High School needs a golf course maybe it should be next to the High School instead of out in Maromas.
Any rational person could see this as an economic giveaway. I pay more in taxes on my teachers salary than the golf course will pay in taxes...for each year over 80 years!! We are SURROUNDED by golf courses. Miner, two in Portland, one in Middlefield. Any of these places will tell you golf is losing popularity. I am a golfer who plays at the other area facilities and would see no advantage to going to a small course in Maramos with such excellent inexpensive local facilities. If the city does build this, hopefully after a thorough environmental analysis it should demand the same taxes on land others pay!
The mystery surrounding the proposed Golf Course gives me cause to pause and consider: If these lands are so suited to golf, why has only one such proposal been received? It could be that the Request for Proposals was initiated by this particular project.
Some may not see any problem with this possibility but it gives me cause to pause to consider: Why did the Mayor and Attorney Ralph Wilson seek the aid of Representative Serra to prevent the impending transfer of the surrounding CVH Reservoir lands to the DEP? It could be that the transfer may have interfered with this golf course proposal. (Attorney Wilson spoke in favor of the golf course at the first EDC meeting, citing a need to have something in place to prevent the State of CT from deciding to take the lands back.)
This again gives me cause to pause and consider the 80-year, favorable lease terms and support from the Planning Department for the golf course proposal: Certainly Mr.Pioppi loves golf and is very personable but he has never implied that he would be using his own funds nor has he revealed his backers.
I am uncomfortable with the lack of transparency in the process surrounding the golf course proposal and concerned about the risks, economic as well as environmental, that the project will pose for the City of Middletown.
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